Love Story
by KokoKookieKreme
Summary: This is a series of one-shots inspired by Taylor Swift songs. The story line from the actual song has been adapted and slightly altered to fit it to a Maltara story : PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! Rated T for some content.
1. Haunted

**Hey guys! This is a new series of one-shots, all inspired by Taylor Swift songs. If you read, you will realise that the words in italics are the lyrics taken directly from the song in question, and then the story linking the lyrics to Maltara. So if it gets too confusing, just skip the lyrics and read the paragraphs as they are. This is just something I'm trying out, so PLEASE REVIEW to let me know what you think of it! All the one-shots will be quite short, but I hope that it is still nice. PLEASE REVIEW so that I know how it is, and so that I know how to write a better one-shot thank you!**

_**P.S. I do not own Cause of Death or any of its characters. The lyrics and songs are completely the work of Taylor Swift and her production team.**_

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><p><strong>This chapter is inspired by the story behind the song, <em>Haunted<em>. It is one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs, heartbreaking as it may be. This is my first one-shot, and also the first one-shot in a (hopefully!) expanding series of one-shots! So please review to let me know what you think, so that I can improve! Thank you :D**

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><p><em>You and I walk a fragile line, I have known it all this time, but I never thought I'd live to see it break…<em>

Natara watched as Mal slammed the door, and then the rapid flow of tears pooling and blurring her vision. Her heart was crushed, and she collapsed on the floor in tears. This was going all wrong. How did they end up like this?

_Something's made your eyes go cold…_

Just fifteen minutes ago, Mal had walked into her house, just visiting and wanting to talk. She was eager to tell Mal that Oscar had proposed, wanting to see his reaction, knowing that even if he was not going to try to get her back, he would offer them his blessings. However, everything went wrong. Mal had been completely pissed off by the fact that she would allow a 'useless bum' to take care of her for the rest of her life, someone 'who would spend more time with his books than with you'. In a bid to defend Oscar, Natara had said, "Mal, I understand if you think he is not the right one for me, but Oscar is not all bad. At the very least, he loves me." Natara saw Mal's jaw twitch, and then, "Even _I _would be a better choice for you!" Mal had then proceeded to storm out of her house, leaving Natara shocked and cold.

_Come on come on don't leave me like this, I thought I had you figured out, something's gone terribly wrong, you're all I wanted…_

Natara tried to wrap her head around the fact that Mal was gone. Forever. But she did not understand why and how. Everything _had been_ fine between them. Well not exactly, Natara had loved Mal, but she could not tell him because he had Blaise. She knew Mal liked Blaise. _Mal liked Blaise. _Definitely. That was the only reason why he had changed since Blaise's appearance. Their relationship had gotten increasingly strained. And that was the only reason why she agreed to marry Oscar. Because she knew Mal would _never _be hers.

_He would try to take away my pain, and he just might make me smile, but the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead…_

Yet deep down in Natara's heart, she knew she loved Mal. Totally. Madly. Completely. She wanted to wait. Wait for him to know that she loved him. Wait for him to love her. Wait for the time when they both realized they were for each other. But the logical part of her brain figured that it would be better to try and love Oscar and have him love her back in return; than feel her heart shatter seeing Mal and Blaise talk in whispers and doing everything together. That was true, Natara knew. As far as being a FBI profiler and the accuracy of her woman's intuition, she knew Oscar would be able to provide and shower her with all the love, care, concern, security, warmth, and even to an extent of luxury, that Mal could not. Simply because, he did not _love_ her. So why should she waste her time waiting for someone who would never be hers?

_I'm holding my breath, won't see you again, something keeps me holding on to nothing…_

But now… Natara stared at the floor in front of her, wet from her tears. If Mal had stormed out because of her engagement to Oscar, could that mean…? There was a chance right? He would not just walk out on her like that. Even if she ended up marrying Oscar, he would still be there to congratulate them. Mal was still her best friend. No matter what happened, he would be there for her.

_Can't turn back now, I'm haunted._

She knew it.


	2. You Belong With Me

**Hey guys! This is a new series of one-shots, all inspired by Taylor Swift songs. If you read, you will realise that the words in italics are the lyrics taken directly from the song in question, and then the story linking the lyrics to Maltara. So if it gets too confusing, just skip the lyrics and read the paragraphs as they are. This is just something I'm trying out, so PLEASE REVIEW to let me know what you think of it! All the one-shots will be quite short, but I hope that it is still nice. PLEASE REVIEW so that I know how it is, and so that I know how to write a better one-shot thank you!**

_**P.S. I do not own Cause of Death or any of its characters. The lyrics and songs are completely the work of Taylor Swift and her production team.**_

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><p><strong>This one is for <em>maltararox21<em>. The song I've used this time round is _You Belong With Me_. I would just like to say that this would be the last chapter I would be writing for a while, as I have a lot a lot of homework I desperately need to catch up on. D: No, it is not because of writing fan fiction, it just so happened that my teachers all got up on the wrong side of their beds this week, and now my planner is like totally filled. Urgh. Anyway, I WILL be back hopefully by next weekend, or if I am able to, by next Thursday, and I PROMISE I will have a new chapter of _Be There _by then. So sorry to make you guys wait!**

**Okay, so replies to reviews:**

**maltararox21-**

**Hey Katie! Thank you SOOOOOOO much for your review I was literally about to cry when you told me you loved it so much (': This one is for you by the way, I hope you like it! In reply to your review for _Be There_, well, I suppose we will just have to wait and see what happens to Oscar won't we? But thank you for your compliment it really means a lot to me when others like my writing style, some of my friends find it a little... too cheesy. /: Haha stems from reading too many romances, kind of adopt the same style after a while, ooooooooooooooops (; But all in all, thank you really very super much! Love you!**

**MaltaraFluff647-**

**Hello Karen! :D Here's your new one-shot! Haha, not really I write mainly for fun, but I'm happy I'm able to make my readers happy that's all. I hope you like it! It's much longer this time round, and personally I don't think it's really good because the main essence of _You Belong With Me_ is more upbeat, but it is all quite emo at the front so... xP And I'm glad you liked Chapter Two (uh, of _Be There_haha!), I thought it was too dull. /: But since you liked it then :DDDDD I'm sorry you will have to wait for about one more week for Chapter Four, I honestly planned to write it this weekend (it's Friday where I am now) but then my homework is like really a lot a lot, so I can't write as soon as I want to, I'm really sorry for that! I hope this one-very-long-shot makes up for it though! (: **

**Oh haha, no I'm actually from Singapore. That's the little red dot in Asia haha! :D Personally I find it quite cute people always refer to us as a little red dot! (; That's why some of my facts in my stories may not be really correct, because 1. I have NEVER been to America, 2. I have no idea how American culture is like, 3. I don't really know what they call Chinese food over there. Like if I typed in _mee_ or something no one will understand so haha I always stick to just a general form of whatever-it-is-I-don't-know. But I plan to live in CALIFORNIA (omg haha I wanna go California so badly!) for a few years though :D Anyway here in Singapore, our official language is British English, considering we were under British rule once (Raffles haha!) so maybe that was why. (:**

**Anyway, thank you so so much for reviewing, it really means the world to me! 3**

**CauseOfDeathIsGreat-**

**Thank you! I hope you will like this new one!**

**mozzi-girl-**

**Hi Molly! Yes, you should get started on your one-shots soon I really love your ideas! And aww, thanks so much for your encouragement for my one-shots honestly it really means everything to me when I know people out there like my writing. I have like practically no self-esteem haha so. x( And don't worry about not reviewing for a while! Look at me, I'm like going on a writing hiatus for a while and I wanna cry )': Hopefully when I come back there'll be a one-shot from YOU that I can read yay!**

**Okay, that's it! If you just started reading my story, I say hello and welcome to you! :D And I hope you will like it, it really means a lot to me when people review to tell me they like my story (: So please review PLEASE! :D Heehee okay I shall stop bothering your attempt to read, but seriously I hope you like it!**

**Love you all very very much.**

**KokoKookieKreme**

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><p><em>You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset, she's going off about something that you said…<em>

Natara stared at Mal sitting in the passenger seat opposite her. They had just finished work and Mal had suggested going to their favorite Chinese restaurant to "catch up". Of course, that had not gone well with Blaise. Natara still remembered the day when Mal and Blaise had walked into the precinct holding hands, the day when she experienced her very first and very real heartbreak. Literally. Natara felt her heart shattering when she saw the triumph Blaise had in her eyes that Mal had chosen her. Natara had wished them the best of luck and gave them their most genuine blessings, and kept her chin up for the rest of the day. Of course she had cried herself silly when she walked all alone into her apartment that night, not that anyone had to know that.

And now, Natara was sending Mal to Blaise's house because she was jealous that Mal had spent time with Natara, a really childish thought in Natara's opinion though. However, she _was _Mal's girlfriend, so it was not like she had a say in what she thought of their relationship. Mal said something over the phone to Blaise and she heard his chuckle, but from the look on Mal's face, Blaise had not understood or appreciated his humor.

Mal had gotten out of the car and was about to wave goodbye to Natara when Blaise opened the door and immediately pulled Mal down for a kiss. Natara felt her insides curl. Like felt them spiral and shrivel up. She really did _not _want to see Blaise kissing _anybody_, and made worse was the fact that the person was the one she _loved_. Natara drove away.

_I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night, I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like…_

Natara let herself in through the door and plopped herself down on the couch. She was tired as tired can be, both physically, mentally and _especially _emotionally. She put on 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' by Elton John, a classic song that she loved since watching _The Lion King _when she was young, and still do. Natara gave a wry smile when she realized how ironic it was. She was definitely _not_ feeling the love tonight. Then she felt her insides all go 'clunk' when she thought of the fact that Blaise liked songs such as 'Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)', then thought of the fact that she was nothing like Blaise, then thought of the fact that Mal liked Blaise, then thought of the fact that Mal liked girls like Blaise, which was not her. Therefore, with the conclusion that Mal would never even like her the teeniest littlest bit, she felt newfound tears well up in her eyes and she pursed her lips, concentrating really, really, _really _hard on not crying.

_She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts, she's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers…_

Natara tried. She tried really really hard. She tried to be like Blaise. To be like her just the teeniest littlest bit. But she could not. She wanted to be outspoken. She wanted to have blonde hair. Blue eyes. A curvy figure. She wanted guys, _any _guy, to be tripping over their feet to get her _coffee. _But she was not. She had black hair. Hazel eyes. Flat. She generally emitted a one–mile radius male repellent. With the exception of Mal. Mal was the only one who saw her for who she was. He was the only one whom she let past the defenses she had painstakingly set up since joining the force.

_You've got a smile that could light up this whole town, I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down…_

Natara leaned back and crossed her thighs. She tried to picture Mal's face. It came almost immediately. No problem. That was _how much _she knew about him. Inside and out. She saw his face. She saw the dark lines that etched his face, the scars that made him who he was. She saw his blue eyes, the ones that had looked at her intently so many times, the ones that held tenderness towards her all the time. But then since Blaise… she had seen less and less of him. During work hours, they were _partners. _After work hours, they were _lovers_. So that basically ruled her out of his life. Natara felt the tears on her calves and then realized she was crying. Again. Now that the floodgates had opened, she could not stop. Her tears kept coming and flowing and coming and flowing that after some time she became numb to the ice-cold forming around her heart. Her body was still suffering, but her brain had decided to stop recognizing any form of heartbreak.

_I remember you: driving to my house in the middle of the night, I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry…_

Natara thought back to the times when they had movie marathons at his or her house, when she was always tucked up snugly in the couch, and eventually always fell asleep, happy and full. She thought back to the times when they had provided each other with comfort and solace, and acted as each other's confidantes. She thought back to the times when she was hanging out with him, just talking about anything and everything under the sun, and she felt blissful, happy. She thought back to the day when she realized she had fallen in love with Mal, when she was lost and did not know whether to immediately call and tell him.

_Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along so why can't you see you belong with me?…_

Natara knew who Mal really was. She respected him for who he was. She _loved _him for who he was. Of course, Mal did not know that. Maybe he did. But she never told him. She did not see a need to. He had Blaise. And they were now _partners. _Yet sometimes, Natara wished Mal knew. Or if he already knew, at least she knew he knew. Maybe then things would be different. Natara shook her head at herself, and then realized that she had stopped crying. The piercing pain and the choking constriction of her heart when she got home had now been reduced to what felt just like a dull throb. She felt hopeless. Like some lovesick teenager who did not know the meaning of love and was just sitting around moping. But she could not help but wonder, why? Why did Mal not love her? Was she really that bad? Could she really not compare to Blaise?

_All this time, how could you not know? Baby, you belong with me…_

Her doorbell rang. Natara hastily dried off the last remnants of her tears and pushed her hair out of her face, before opening the door. She stared at Mal standing on her porch and blinked in shocked surprise. "…Mal?"

"Natara." Mal said her name like it was a lifeline. "I… I broke up with Blaise."  
>"What?" Natara had hardly any energy to speak, and her voice came out as a whisper in spite of the shock she felt.<br>"You heard me." Mal pushed his hands through his hair.  
>"What the hell? Why?"<br>"Because… because she's not the one for me."

Natara, amazingly, felt nothing anymore. Her brain had been hoping that Mal would say something along the lines of 'because _you _are better than her any day' but even though he had not, she felt nothing anymore. Natara had given up. Given up on any chance that she could be _more. _More than just his _best friend._

"You are."

_You belong with me, have you ever thought just maybe you belong with me..._

Natara's head snapped up. "Haha, very funny Mal." Natara was tired. She did not want to play these kind of games anymore. She was sick of Mal playing 'Hot-n-Cold' with her. She had no stamina to keep up. Or at least, what she had of her stamina had long been gone. She turned and walked into her living room, like a lifeless zombie, her head hung.

Mal followed then grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her around. He gave her a little shake, then practically growled, "Natara Williams, I said, _you _are the one for me. And I don't give a damn if you do not like me back, I will just continue chasing you until you do." Natara stared at him, and saw the truth of his words in his blue eyes. The ones she loved so much.

Then suddenly with a groan, Mal leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She hesitated, and when she felt Mal's tongue probing at her lips, she opened her mouth to stop him… and his tongue slid right in. Her adamant 'no' was swallowed. Mal's arms were wrapped around her back and it grew tighter and tighter by the second, until she felt crushed. Mal was exploring her mouth and seeing that Mal did not look like he was going to stop anytime soon, Natara gave in and started to kiss him back. Mal sucked a little on the tip of her tongue, and just as she was about to deepen the kiss, he stopped and whispered against her lips, "Natara, I'm so sorry. I should have known that you had always been the one. I was a jerk and I almost lost you. I am so sorry, please forgive me."

Oh, that was hot, Natara had to admit. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and Mal caught it with his tongue. "Natara… don't cry please. I can't stand it when you cry." Natara sniffled then whispered, "It's okay, it's okay, I forgive you." Mal pulled back and looked at her. "You do? You really do? So we are a couple? For real?" Mal's face was one of delight and fascination and for the first time in weeks, she felt like laughing.

_You belong with me._

Natara smiled. "We are."


	3. Better Than Revenge

**Hello! Here's another one-shot I've been thinking about for quite some time already. It's based on the song _Better Than Revenge_, and I've purposely turned Blaise into a bitch here, just so that you guys would hate her and pity poor Natara. OOPS NAUGHTY ME. (; Though personally, I like the ending, but I shan't be ego and leave the decision up to you readers. (: Just some review replies:**

_**tlc27: **_

**Thank you for suggesting that, I have taken note of it and hopefully it's less confusing now (: Thanks for reading and reviewing, I'm really grateful that you've highlighted that for me to improve on (:**

**Molly _(mozzi-girl) _and Katie _(maltararox21)_:**

**So sorry I took so long to update! Here's another (hopefully!) fluffy Maltara story :D LYLAS (HAHA KATIE YOUR PHRASE IS CATCHY!) BABES! (:**

**Okay, that's it. Hope you like it and please review PLEASE! :D**

**_**P.S. I do not own Cause of Death or any of its characters. The lyrics and songs are completely the work of Taylor Swift and her production team.**_**

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><p>The<em> story starts when it was hot and it was summer and I had it all, I had him no matter where I wanted him…<em>

Natara stared at Blaise, shrieking and laughing as she pushed Mal into the pool. The SFPD was having their annual summer pool party at some big resort chalet Captain Yeong had rented, and Natara was still nursing a broken, no, _sore_ heart from her breaking up with Oscar just three days ago. She still remembered the day Mal caught wind of it and immediately came over to comfort her, reassuring her that she deserved someone better than Oscar.

_She came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause, she took him faster than you can say 'sabotage'…_

They had arrived at the pool party together, but before Mal could grab her a punch from the bar set-up at the edge of the pool, Blaise came running towards them, clad in a teeny-weeny scrap of bikini which, truthfully, made Natara nauseous. She grabbed Mal by the hand and dragged him all the way to the edge of the pool, and Natara could hardly describe her jealousy and anger, two things that she hardly felt in her line of work. Shaking her head to clear her disturbing thoughts, she sat down on the edge of the pool, her punch in one hand, and felt the cool water caress her feet. Natara raised the glass to her lips… and Blaise swam up, with Mal nearly catching up to her, splashing water everywhere and drenching Natara head to toe. The two of them started poking at each other, right in full view of everyone and _Natara_.

_I underestimated just who I was dealing with; she had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum…_

Natara felt sick to her stomach, as if it was not bad enough before. She jumped up, put down her glass, slipped on her T-shirt and flip-flops, and ran all the way to the other side of the pool, where Amy and Ken were trying to start the barbecue. From the corner of her eye, she saw Blaise smirking, but she told herself not to be jealous. She could _not _be jealous. Nope.

_She lives her life like it's a party and she's on the list, she looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it…_

Natara was getting sick of Blaise Corso and her antics. She was always so cheerful, so high, and just. So. Bitchy. She went through life like a tornado, just doing whatever she liked, not caring about others and their feelings. And Natara _especially _could not stand the looks she was always giving her whenever she got Mal alone. Like, '_Oh my god, look, I've got Mal and poor _poor _Natara can't do anything about it!' _

"Nat? NAT!"  
>Natara jumped with a start when Amy waved her hand in her face. "Hey, you okay? You looked… distracted."<br>"Sorry Amy, just thinking about... stuff."  
>"It's her, isn't it?" And Amy nodded over to where Blaise was still playing 'catch' with Mal, giggling like a demented school girl.<br>Natara sighed and shrugged. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Here, I'll help you light the fire."  
>"Thanks Natara!" Amy squealed and gave her a one-handed hug, her hands black from charcoal.<p>

Natara took the matches and starting lighting the fire-starters, her mind still churning all the way. Just who did Blaise think she was? Why was she always snatching Mal away from her? Yes, okay, fine, Mal was attractive and had a long line of women waiting to date him, but somehow, with all of her FBI profiler instincts, Natara could sense that it was something more. That Blaise was purposely snatching Mal away not _just _because she liked Mal. Hell, maybe she did not even like Mal at all. Natara knew that Blaise was doing this just to spite her. Hurt her. Why exactly, she did not know. She did not _want _to know. Natara stood up from where she was crouched in front of the pit and left to wash her hands.

_But sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know, or pushing people down to get you where you wanna go…_

She just could not wrap her brain around the fact that Blaise was a police _detective_, yet she did not have a single sense of shame in her entire flabby body which bounced with every movement of hers. That had to be the most ironic thing Natara had ever known or heard of in her life, and she wanted to burst into bitter laughter. Blaise was always throwing her weight around, _literally_, and even if she wrapped herself up in three layers of wool and cotton lining and wore that wherever she went, it was _still _not going to give her dignity.

_She's not a saint, and she's not what you think, she's an actress; but she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress…_

Then again, Blaise was not the only thing baffling and screwing with Natara's brain. Just what was it about Blaise that Mal was attracted to so much? Why was it that he always seemed to have that happy look that he did not when he was with her? What was it Blaise had she did not? Yet, Natara knew the answer to that. Blaise beat her hands-down in almost any and every way. Curves. Blonde hair. Blue eyes, like Mal. Bubbly. Cheerful. Efficient. Focused. Everything she was not, basically. Natara made a mental list of all her shortcomings, and felt pretty much depressed and upset with who she was by the time she was done. She sighed and dried her hands off, then walked over to the bar to get another glass of punch, considering she never did finished the previous one, thanks to _her_. The sun was setting, and the lights around the pool had flickered on, casting a warm yet romantic glow on the backyard. The disco music cranked up and all the other officers who finished their dinner jumped right into it and turned the grassy patch beside the pool into a makeshift club.

Natara stood from where she was, her hip leaning against the bar top counter, and saw Blaise grabbing on to Mal's neck and grinding her hips against his. She pulled a face and turned her head away from the disturbing scene, towards where Amy and Ken were doing a weird sort of twist-tango-foxtrot-disco-sort-of dance. When she saw her best friend's expression, one of sheer happiness, she laughed along too. Kai was still busy stuffing the last of a chicken wing into his mouth, clearly wanting to join in the fun as soon as possible. That was when she noticed Mal had somehow managed to keep his clothes on and was striding, literally _striding_, towards her, Blaise still hot on his heels. His face was one of agony, horror and shock, and Natara laughed again. This was hilarious to a certain extent, and she was not going to pass up this chance to blackmail Mal.

_I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey, you might have him but I always get the last word…_

Mal's last footsteps quickened to a jog, and he pulled Natara from where she was reclining on the bar over to the 'dance floor'. Before she knew what was happening, Mal had wrapped his arms around Natara's waist and hastily placed her arms around his neck. He moved closer towards her, until any space between them was completely removed. Natara was tucked up along his body, her barely-there curves just fitting nicely into his hard contours, and she was so shocked she cried out, "Oh my god, _Malachi_, what on earth?" "Shh, shh! Be quiet! Blaise will hear you!" He whispered frantically.

From across the dance floor, Natara saw Amy wink slyly at her, before she was dipped down by Ken, a squeal escaping her lips. She felt her own smile rise up too. So that was why Mal was in a hurry to get her as his dance partner? "Hey, I thought you and Blaise were about to do the horizontal shuffle. So why the sudden change to a slow dance?" Natara saw Mal's cheeks flush, and she chuckled. Mal growled, "Does it make you happy to see me get arrested for indecent exposure?"  
>"I don't really care."<br>"You don't?"  
>"I don't."<br>"Don't lie to me, Natara _Mansingh-_Williams." Mal wrinkled his nose. "You know, I really don't like you having two last names. It sounds like you married a Mr. Williams."  
>"Aww, Malachi <em>Charles <em>Fallon, are you jealous? And don't lie to yourself."

Mal's lips suddenly captured hers, but her squawk of surprise was swallowed by him. He straightened and said, "Of course I'm jealous. But then again, who's the jealous one? I've been seeing a certain angel of mine in nothing but a swimsuit and T-shirt sulking at the bar."  
>Mal kissed Natara again, then said, "You know how dangerous it is for her to be alone dressed like that? What if someone just picked her up and flew off?"<br>Natara laughed at Mal's weird analogy, and then felt her heart melt when he said, "I promise I feel nothing for Blaise. If I feel anything for anyone, it's love for you. And FYI FBI, you need to polish up on your kissing skills."  
>Natara's eyes narrowed. "Who's lying now?"<br>"I am." Mal grinned at her, a bad-boy grin that made her toes curl and her heart pound.

And out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blaise's expression. The same one as when Mal was striding towards her. Of course, Mal's was cute. Lovable. Hers was spiteful. Disgusting. Blaise turned and walked off into the darkness.

_She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind, there is nothing I do better than revenge…_

"Bad ass." Natara scolded, then leaned forward to kiss him.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it! AND PLEEEEEASE REVIEW I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU GUYS LIKE MY STORY. It's okay if you tell me it sucks, at least I know! (:<strong>

**xoxo,  
>KokoKookieKreme <strong>


	4. If This Was A Movie

**HELLO! Here's one more Taylor Swift songfic for you, a bit cliché, but I had lots of fun writing it today... especially since today wasn't a really good day. So that's why this story is a little on the emo side as well, but I hope you will still like it! (: Anyway, the song is 'If This Was A Movie', a GREAT song in my opinion. :D Okay, just some review replies to clear:**

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><p><strong>Katie <em>(maltararox21)<em>- **

**Haha you are always so high! And my writing is not all that great I think it's just the fluff (;**  
><strong>But thank you, love ya to bits! :DD<strong>

**Molly _(mozzi-girl)_-**

**THANKS MOLLY! Coming from the Queen of Maltara Fluff, I'm SUPER honoured xD**

**Karen _(MaltaraFluff647)_-**

**Thank you! And anyway, you do remember you were the one who inspired 'You Belong With Me' right? :D**

**_Darkness. Reaper_-**

**Thank you for your review! It really made me very happy (:  
><strong>**I'm so sorry this took so long to update ):  
><strong>**This one is for you! :D**

**Jasmine _(MALNATROX4EVER)_-**

**...I don't know if I should believe you. **

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><p><strong>Okay that's it! ENJOY!<strong>

_**P.S. I do not own Cause of Death or any of its characters. The lyrics and songs are completely the work of Taylor Swift and her production team.**_

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><p><em>Last night I heard my own heart beating, sounded like footsteps on my stairs; six months gone and I'm still reaching, even though I know you're not there…<em>

Natara lay in bed, still unable to forget everything that had happened, even though it had been almost a year since she had left San Francisco, left S.F.P.D, left the FBI, left the heartache, the heartbreak and the sorrow.

_I was playing back a thousand memories, baby; thinking 'bout everything we've been through…_

Natara thought to that day when Mal had asked her out to dinner, saying it was a celebration of their latest crackdown. When they had taken a quiet stroll together along the coast after dinner, just like always. When she was walking barefooted, sifting the soft white sand through her toes, and just enjoying the peace she felt whenever she was with him. And he had suddenly turned, looking at her with so much tenderness in his beautiful blue eyes, and right there and then asked her to be with him. Forever and always.

And she agreed. Duh, obviously she agreed. She had been in love with him for as long as she could remember and that day, when he had asked her to be his girlfriend, taking her hand and placing a warm kiss on her lips, she felt like the happiest woman in the world. And then they were suddenly doing everything couples always do, and the thing she loved best about Mal was that he was romantic, but never cheesy.

He never bought her flowers or chocolates, but would ask her out to eat Mongolian beef with him. He never brought her out to cinemas, preferring to rent videos and having movie marathons so that he could kiss her whenever he wanted. He would continue telling her lame jokes just so that he could smile at her expressions, then kiss her until he got a smile in return. And he was the one that remembered their one-month anniversary, saying it was the longest he had ever been in a committed relationship. He had also said that he was sure they would last a long, long time together.

_I know people change and these things happen, but I remember how it was back then, locked up in your arms and our friends were laughing…_

The evening of their one-month anniversary, he suddenly called and told her Captain Yeong had asked for them urgently, and had picked her up to drive her to the precinct. But when they walked into the bullpen, his arms suddenly shot out and grabbed her, one arm sliding around her waist and the other around her eyes. Turned out that Malachi Charles Fallon, the keeper of her heart, had organised some party in remembrance of their one-month anniversary, and under the "encouragement" of their fellow officers, he had kissed her senseless. And at that time, she truly believed everything would be fine, that she would be with him forever, that their relationship would never end.

But then it started changing. They were assigned different partners, him with Blaise, her just doing paperwork. And he vowed that "_nothing's gonna change, not for me and you_". One week on, they were fine. They still went to their favourite restaurant and had movie marathons. But two weeks on, he was often tired after days of chasing leads, and she would be exhausted after staring at papers after papers, and what used to be three-hour phone calls were now shortened to three minutes before one of them fell asleep. Three weeks on, they barely saw each other anymore. There were no more calls and no more messages from him, and she knew she should, but she really did not want to make the first move. So she waited. And waited. And waited some more. But as they were approaching the two-month milestone, she knew nothing would ever be like it was before. Mal would hardly glance her way even when she was standing right there in the bullpen. He might give her an occasional smile or nod or wave, but that was the most she could get out of him. There were no more running hugs. No more kisses. No more cuddling. He would either be rummaging through stacks and stacks of files and folders, or talking and chatting and laughing with Blaise.

She would go home every day, tired from staring at the computer screen, tired from sifting information, but most of all tired from her relationship with Mal. So the day of their supposedly two-month anniversary, she had submitted her resignation letter to Captain Yeong and District Chief Blaire, stating 'personal reasons', which was true to a certain extent. Both of them had tried their best to talk her out of it, but it was no use. Either they get Mal to talk to her, or she was leaving. She just wanted to move on, wanted to end this game, because even Monopoly millionaires would go bankrupt after a while. She hesitated, wondering if this was really her choice, wondering if she really wanted to just end her career because of him, but she decided it was worth it. She could not stay in San Francisco anymore, because everywhere she went reminded her of him. And it was worth it because maybe the dark side of humanity had taken its toll on her and she just wanted to get away from it all. Natara left San Francisco for good, pretty sure she was never going back again, unless a miracle happened. Which probably never would, so she was safe.

_Come back, come back, come back to me like you would, you would if this was a movie; stand in the rain outside 'til I came out…_

It had been almost a year. She had started life anew in Quantico, and had a job as a cupcake decorator in a small café. Everything was great, her monthly pay was reasonable, she was with her family… but her heart was still in San Francisco, with the man who had had her heart but crushed it. And it had been almost a year, but she still constantly thought of him, still felt that sharp sting of pain whenever she did, and she pretty much wanted to take Chaucer's 'time heals all wounds' and bitch-slap him in the face. Because it did not, would not, and she was probably going to grow old with that pain in her chest for the rest of her life.

She hated to admit it, but she wanted Mal back. Even though he had not really put in the most effort to sustain their relationship, she could not say she did either. In that case, both of them had to do with their relationship breakdown, and she could not fully blame him. And with each passing day, she was starting to regret just leaving and not letting him know, leaving him to figure out the rest himself.

Lightning flashed and thunder clapped outside her house, and rain suddenly poured down with no sign of stopping, the little droplets pelting against her window and trickling down. She smiled wryly to herself, thinking of the irony, that the weather actually matched her mood. But… what if Mal did come back to her? Would he be knocking on her door waiting for her to come out? In this terrible rain? Would she accept him again? Let him in? To her house and into her heart?

_If you're out there, if you're somewhere, if you're moving on, I've be waiting for you ever since you've been gone; I just want it back the way it was before and I just wanna see you back at my front door…_

But then again, what made her think that Mal would come back? Maybe he was happy with Blaise now. Maybe they had kids. Cute little adorable children she would love with all her heart if they were hers. Yet she wished he had not. Wished he was looking for her, just as she had been thinking of him all this time. Natara really did not want much, just wanted things the way they were before. When he never bought her flowers or chocolates, but would ask her out to eat Mongolian beef with him. When he never brought her out to cinemas, but rented videos to have movie marathons so that he could kiss her whenever he wanted. When he would tell her lame jokes just so that he could smile at her expressions, then kiss her until he got a smile in return.

She missed him. _A lot. _Missed his laughter. Missed his warmth. Missed his care, his kindness, his kisses, his hugs, his eyes, and even his jokes.

_But if this was a movie you'd be here by now…_

Natara drew a deep breath, accepting the bitter truth. Mal would never come back. Because if he did, he would have found her, right?

A knock suddenly sounded from her door, jarring her from her thoughts, and scaring her. _Who would be looking for her in this rain? _Natara sighed and slid her feet into her slippers, dragging herself out of the bed and shuffled to the front door. She opened the door, and got the shock of her life. Mal was standing on her porch, huddled in his coat, lips white, hair plastered to his head, but she could tell he was furious. It was as if his rage was fuelling an inner fire which totally cancelled out the chill he should be feeling. Natara stared at him, her heartbeat increasing at an insane speed, and she was at a loss for words. There she was, pining for his return, hoping he would come back to her, and he did. He was there, in one piece, as charming and sexy as ever, standing on her porch. But she had no inkling of what to say to him. So she just did the first thing she thought of and pulled him into her house, considering the rain was still pelting on him. And even though his stature was big, it did not completely block off the rain, so her shirt was getting wet as well.

Mal's eyes were still burning with steely rage, and she braced herself, but his shouting at her never came. Instead, Mal took a deep breath and pulled her into his arms, drenching her head to toe with the rain clinging onto him. She shrieked and pulled away. "What are you doing here Mal?" At first she wanted to smack herself for asking that, but then decided it sounded legit since maybe Mal was here to kill her, and not bringing her back, so she should _stop _getting her hopes up.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm here to murder you and leave you to rot." His voice was icy and clipped, and Natara knew he was really _really _angry. "What do you think I'm here for?"  
>Natara tried to think past her whirling mind, but words completely failed her. She stood there, and Mal took one step forwards, backing her against the wooden door. "Natara, you just left me in a world of agony. Didn't anything between us matter to you?" He gestured animatedly with his hands, and he was a few decibels away from completely shouting at her. "Yes, I know, I should have, could have, done more. But I didn't. And I'm sorry. But you just left me. You didn't even tell me why. And I couldn't reach you. Do you know how scared I was?"<br>Natara pushed her hair behind her ears, buying for some time to come up with a response that would not sound completely stupid. "So… so why are you here? You started looking for me after almost a year has passed?" _Oh, genius. _  
>Mal took a breath and his next words came out softer, gentler. "Because when you left me, I thought maybe you wanted space. I thought you were coming back. I thought you would look for me. I didn't think you would really leave San Francisco, leave me, for good. But seven months passed, and still you had not contacted me, I decided to hell with whatever I was doing, and I would come to find you. I want to personally hear you say that we are over. Not leave me figuring out the rest of the puzzle. You're the one with the brains Natara. You can solve this. I'm the one with the brawns. All I know how to do is track you down and drive to Quantico through this goddamn awful storm and try to get you back into my life."<p>

Natara was shocked. She had not thought of how much her actions had affected him. She was ashamed of herself for being so irresponsible. "I'm... I'm so sorry Mal. I–"  
>"No. <em>I'm <em>the one saying sorry. I shouldn't have let us drift apart. I could have done more to make sure that we would still be together. I… I was wrong. I took you for granted, thinking we would always be together, and totally neglected you. I'm so sorry Natara. Please forgive me and let me go back into your life. I still want to be with you, I really do." Mal started tearing, and in horror, Natara rushed over and gave him a big hug.  
>"Okay! Okay! I forgive you, oh my gosh, don't cry Mal!"<br>"Thank you. Thank you so much Natara." Mal gave her a kiss on her forehead, just like he used to whenever she was worried or upset.

_You'd be here by now…_

And Natara smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Yep, it's quite <strong>cliché, I wanted Mal not to be the first person Natara meets when she opens the door, but decided not to make this too long, since it's a songfic : Hope it's not too boring! ): Review? Please? (:****

**xoxo,  
>KokoKookieKreme a.k.a <em>Maltara Ninja<em> (in honour of Katie _[maltararox21]_)**


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